Natural Way To Get Rid Of Muscle Knots In Your Upper Back And Shoulders

Muscle spasms in your upper back? Knots in your shoulders?

Happens to the best of us! Including me! And to the occupational therapist who sent the following testimonial to me.

I really got a kick out of this because she 'forgot' what to do for herself just as I have when a miserable knot came to visit.

Here's what Katie said:

> Here's a testimonial for you:
>
> I am an occupational therapist and I know better. I have preached for
> years that we need to stretch our chests and strengthen our upper
> backs/posterior shoulder girdles. However, I have been having spasms
> between my shoulder blades and spine (mostly on the right), and I have
> spent what seems like endless hours in hot baths, on the heating pad,
> and lying on tennis balls or pushing as hard as possible against my
> shiatsu
> massage chair. These techniques often relieved the spasms, but only
> temporarily; not to mention that it left me with a bruise-type pain for
> days from pushing so hard. One day, feeling beyond frustrated, I
> started searching the web. That is when I came across your site and had
> that AHA moment (in a "duh" fashion for me). I had been missing the thing
> I preach so much about!! (We healthcare professionals are such bad
> patients). I instantly stood and did the corner stretch and doorway
> stretch, then cut a piece of Theraband and started some scapular
> strengthening exercises (specifically external roataion and horizontal
> abduction). Boy, did I feel it on the right, but I kept going and guess
> what? Within 2 days, I was FINE. Pain-free, spasm-free, and H-A-P-P-Y!
> Thanks for the reminder. We all need to be smacked upside the head from
> time to time. =)
>
> ~Katie F.

I really appreciated Katie sharing her experience with me.

She started getting to the root of her muscle knot. She started strengthening her back muscles.

And she started stretching and lengthening the muscles in the front of her arms and chest.

She was H-A-P-P-Y! And that makes me happy, too!

I have observed and heard over and over that massage therapists (who should know better) blast away on muscle knots. And the knots cannot relax! Why?

Because the CAUSE of the knots is not where the pain is. Bodies often work like that!

And now I'd like to invite you to discover lots and lots of articles about natural relief for knots and muscle spasms in your upper back at Simple Back Pain Relief.com.

Work Stress--7 Ways To Get Rid Of Stress At Work

Work stress can cause pain, just like all stress does.

Since we don't like having pain, we want to eliminate as much stress as possible from our work.

Here are 7 ways to begin lowering your stress level.

1. Start reducing your stressors outside of work. When you are calmer at home, that will carry over and you will feel more calm at work, also. The same tools that work outside of work will help you at your job.

2. Learn how to breathe for relaxation. Practice at home in bed. At work, sit up straight and do the same deep belly breaths you practiced in bed. Count to four on the inhale, slowly, hold for four, and exhale to the count of four. Let your neck relax. Let it rock gently front to back as you breathe. Repeat several times.

3. Remember, you are very good at what you do. Remember that. Keep reminding yourself. You are good! Negative self-talk causes stress.

4. Take frequent stretch breaks. Get your arms up and back. Open up the front of your body like a cat or dog does when they stretch. This will get the blood flowing again, you will feel more energized and less stressed.

5. Lift your shoulders up and roll them back, while your arms are hanging at your sides. You can do this often at your desk. It helps release muscle tension in your neck and shoulders. Less muscle discomfort equals less stress.

6. Learn to meditate, visualize or pray. Take a few minutes every hour tohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif recharge your mind by going to your safe place, in your mind, for a mini-break or to bask in the warmth of God's grace.

7. Be grateful for the day, your job, your wonderful body, your life. Gratitude knocks out negative thoughts. Negative thinking causes stress. Think, "I am grateful for..." Say, "I am grateful for..."

Visit me at http://KathrynMerrow.com for more natural health information.

Shoulder Blade Pain--When the Knots in Your Upper Back Won't Relax?

People often ask me if I can help them get rid of the knots between their spine and shoulder blades. I explain why they have knots in their upper back and why they are having pain. And, I also explain why the therapies they have tried did not work or didn't work for very long.

If you have had deep tissue massage or other treatments that didn't get rid of your shoulder-blade-to-spine pain, it's because the treatment did not address the cause of your pain. The massage therapist or doctor was working on your symptom rather than the actual cause of your pain. This is a very common occurrence as therapists and doctors often don't understand exactly why someone is having pain.

Here is some background. Each of your muscles attaches to at least two bones. This is what allows us to move. If a muscle is pulling on one side of a bone because it is short and tight, then the muscles that attach to the other sides of the bone will also be pulled on (they will get stretched.)

The muscles that are being stretched will start to complain. And, they will develop "knots." The knots are their way of getting your attention. Your muscles are calling to you.

Actually, your muscles may be screaming at you.

Those stretched muscles are called "taut." Taut is different from "tight." Taut muscles cannot relax on their own. Taut muscles need the muscles around them that are pulling on them to be relaxed, or released, before they can relax.

So, if you have had massage or other therapies that did not relieve your painful back spasms or knots, now you know why.

What are some things you can do yourself to get rid of those knots?

1. Have a therapeutic massage. Ask the massage therapist if he or she will be able to work on the muscles that are around your knot (which are the probable cause of your knot) to release them before massaging the knot itself.

2. A good massage therapist will also be able to figure out whether your shoulder blade knot is being caused by tight muscles in your neck. Those muscles are called the scalenes and they can cause knots in your back near your shoulder blades.

3. Strengthen your back from the base of your head to the back of your thighs. This will help prevent the painful back knots from happening in the first place. It will help normalize your muscles. See the helpful articles at SimpleStrengthening.com

4. Try "tennis ball therapy." Lie down on the floor with a tennis ball under the "knot." Just lie still for 5 minutes. The tennis ball will aggravate the knot and get more blood flowing to that area. This will often help release your knot.

5. Squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine. This helps strengthen your back muscles and stretches the too-tight muscles that caused your knot in the first place.
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A person who is well-educated about the cause of their pain or dysfunction is more likely to get better than someone who simply puts their care into the hands of another person. You can get lots more 'education' at http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com I have many more natural back pain relief articles there.

And I'm glad you are becoming that well-educated person so you can get rid of those shoulder blade knots.

Shoulder Pain? Three Causes and Three Cures

There are many possible causes for your shoulder pain.

Do you carry a heavy purse or bag?

I have done many, many therapeutic massages on people who carry a heavy bag around. Sometimes it is work or school related, sometimes it's just a huge, heavy "purse." (More like a suitcase, actually.)

I have had happy women leave my clinic, smiling that their "shoulder pain is all gone now." And, then I have to say, "Hey! Why are you hiking that shoulder up?" Well, the reason is because they've tossed the strap of their purse over their shoulder and hiked that shoulder up to keep the strap in place. Not good.

Do you have weak or poor posture?

If you have a forward head posture (your head is out in front of your body rather than over your shoulders) that puts a lot of strain on your poor back and shoulders. Forward head posture causes shoulder pain (and neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel pain, too.)

Are your chest muscles short?

Short or tight chest muscles pull your shoulders forward, rather than letting them be out to the sides of your body where they belong. Chest muscles can get short from posture habits that we have developed. They can also shorten when we use our chest (or pectoral) muscles way more than our back muscles. This causes pain in your shoulders, too. It doesn't allow you to use your shoulders in the neutral fashion they were designed to work in.

What can you do to correct shoulder pain from these causes?

In the case of a hiked shoulder:

Carry a lighter bag (you really do not need everything in the immediate world for every possible event in your purse, honest. There are stores all over the place!) Or, if you need a large bag for work, consider a rolling suitcase or bag on wheels. (When I suggested that to a male client, he said, simply, "I can't. I'm a guy." But he could.) Or, instead of a shoulder bag, use a "fanny pack" or a "tummy pack." Maybe not so easy to find, maybe not too stylish, but I love 'em. Hands-free carrying so I can swing my arms and shoulders or use my hands to do things other than carry a purse. Or, carry your purse in the crook of your elbow, like a football.

In the case of forward head posture:

Begin a simple program to strengthen your whole backside. Think small. You don't have to strengthen your whole body all at once. You can find lots of helpful articles at Simple Strengthening . Search the older posts, too.

In the case of short chest muscles:

Begin a simple stretching program to open and lengthen those muscles. Gravity and your bed are good tools to work with. Let your arms carefully hang off the side of the bed while you lie on your back. You will feel the muscleshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif in front of your shoulders and arms stretching, as well as your chest muscles. Also, strengthening your back will help lengthen your chest muscles, too.

All of these things will help you get rid of your shoulder pain, and that's a good thing.

You can find much more natural pain relief information and links to all of my websites at http://KathrynMerrow.com

Another Cause For That Knot In Your Back

Does your upper back pain feel like a "knot" or muscle spasm between your shoulder blade and spine?

Last time we talked about muscles in your torso that could cause this pain. Today we will talk about another cause, which is almost always overlooked.

The muscles that can cause that "knot" in your back are on the side of your neck. There is a set of muscles on each side of your neck called the scalenes.

When the scalene muscles get tight, or aggravated, they develop "trigger points." If you have a therapeutic massage to work out your knotty back problem, and it doesn't help, then the problem isn't in your back. (I am assuming here that your therapist worked ALL of your back and rib muscles, not just the knot.)

The problem is in your scalenes.

Trigger points in your scalene muscles are "firing" or causing pain in your upper back. If you get a well-trained massage therapist to work on your neck muscles and release the trigger points, your back pain will go away.

If you suspect this may be what is causing that knot in your upper back, you can try to release the scalenes yourself.

Press gently into the side of your neck. Using the pads of your fingertips, explore the muscles that run on the side of your spine, or neck bones.

If you feel hard, knobby things, those are probably the edges of your vertebrae, or neck bones. If you feel a pulse, move off it.

Thoughtfully and carefully explore the length of your neck from your jaw to your collarbone. If you run into a very tender area, gently hold pressure there for about 12 seconds. If it doesn't "release" or become less painful, move on. You can come back to that tender area a few more times, after letting it rest for a few minutes, to see if it will release.

If an area refers pain into your "knot" on your back, you have found the trigger point that is causing your pain! Apply gentle pressure with your finger pads for about 12 seconds and see if it lessens. You can repeat as needed.

As you explore the muscles on the sides of your neck, you may be surprised by all of the sensations you feel. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Many of our upper body muscles refer, or cause sensations, in our head, back and arms. You may even notice sensations in your carpal tunnel area.

Don't be afraid to explore. It's your body.

You can discover more about how to get rid of that miserable knot in your back naturally at http://KnotsInYourBack.com

Back Pain - Spasm Between Shoulder Blade and Spine

You probably know the back pain I mean. It's that nagging, cannot-be-ignored pain between your shoulder blade and spine. It often feels like a knot or spasm.

It's usually on the side of your dominant hand. If you're right-handed, it will probably be on the right side of your back.

There are two likely causes and one that often gets the blame, but usually isn't the cause.

The rhomboid muscle (there is one on each side of your back)often gets blamed as being the cause of that pain. The reason for this is probably because the muscle happens to be in the same area as your back pain. This is the muscle most massage therapists will probably try to rub out for you, but it may or may not (probably not) be the cause of your pain.

If this massage doesn't help, or the muscle "won't release," then the rhomboid muscle is not the cause of your pain.

A more likely cause is that the muscles where your knot is located are being overstretched. They are complaining about this by causing pain. Overstretched muscles will go into spasm to keep from being stretched further and torn.

Your back muscles can get overstretched when the muscles in front of your body (your chest and neck) are short and tight. Over-stretching can also occur when you work or play alot with your arm stretched out in front.

You can correct this by strengthening the muscles between your spine and shoulder blades. The stronger muscles won't be so easily overstretched and so won't go into spasm like they do now. Also, strengthen the muscles behind your neck so you won't go into "forward-head" posture, which also strains your upper back muscles.

Loosen, relax and open the muscles in front of your body, too, with stretching or massage.

Another likely cause of this back pain are the scalene muscles, which are located on each side of your neck. These muscles can harbor trigger points. Trigger points in the scalenes refer, or cause, pain into the rhomboid area.

Often a massage therapist will try to work out a pain by working where it hurts.

You can see in the two likely causes above, that the problem can be elsewhere. The pain between your spine and shoulder blade may be caused by muscles in frohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnt of your body being short or trigger points in your neck.

The first thing I would suggest today would be to begin a strengthening program for your upper back. This will help you get rid of that nagging pain between your spine and shoulder blade.

There is much more information for you to discover about natural back pain relief at http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com

Work Place Stress? 7 Strategies To Reduce Work Stress

Do you have stress at work?

There are physical as well as emotional stresses. Some stressors make us feel powerful, in charge and are fun, and some make us feel anxious and cause pain.

If we run on stress-fuel most of the time, we need to give our bodies a break.

1. Watch your posture. When we slouch, we can't breathe as deeply. We don't get as much oxygen into our brains and bodies. Slouching makes us tired and stressed. Slouching makes our backs ache.

2. Feel your "sit bones" on the chair. Center yourself so your weight is equal on both sides. You want to feel your sit bones equally. Rock slowly and gently, rolling on your sit bones from front to back, front to back. This relaxes your back and neck. Let your head move slightly forward as your round your waist backward. When you round your tummy forward (closer to your knees)let your head move over your shoulders.

3. Get more sleep. If you are not sleeping as much as your body needs, your stress level will go up. You will be more easily irritated. Arrange your evening or morning schedules so you can get 30 or 60 more minutes of sleep.

4. Grab a funny story or joke to share or to laugh privately about. Laughter makes stress hormones go down. A good laugh is like a massage from the inside out. Sharing something funny makes us feel better.

5. Pretend you are chewing gum. Keep your lips together, teeth slightly apart. Open and close your jaw without opening your lips. Your teeth should stay apart. This relaxes tense muscles around your jaw and temples.

6. Sit up and close your eyes. Roll your eyes around. With your lids closed, look up and roll your eyes in a complete circle. Roll your eyes in the opposite direction, in a complete circle. Do this several times in each direction. Eyes have muscles, and they can get tired. This relaxes the muscles around your eyes.

7. Take a "re-focus break." Stop what you are doing and look around. Look at something at a distance. Look at something very close, perhaps your hand. Look far away again. Re-focusing helps tired eye muscles and gives us a quick mini-break.

Lots of little breaks reduce stress and actually help us be more productive, because we have less discomfort. When we take a lot of mini-breaks, we feel better and we get more done, not less.

Now you have several strategies you can use to reduce your stress at work.

Which will you use first?

In my experience, the people who are more proactive get the most benefit from a stress reduction program. Get started now!

"Because You Deserve To Feel Better!"